Carbonfil PETG

Carbonfil is one of the filaments developed by Formfutura; a renowned manufacturer of 3D printing materials focused on the development of filaments for 3D FDM printing. Formfutura works continuously on the development of innovative materials for all types of users; from materials with striking surface finishes to advanced filaments aimed at the industrial sector.

Carbonfil is a PETG-based filament with a 20% carbon fibre charge.

The base component of Carbonfil, PETG, is a thermoplastic copolyester (extruded polyethylene terephthalate glycol copolyester). PETG is a modified version of the simpler PET. It is a non-toxic thermoplastic polymer widely used in the manufacture of clothing and products such as containers. Unlike PET filaments, PETG filaments do not crystallize when heated, so they are very hard and flexible, and are also chemically resistant (resistant to water, acids, alkalis and alcohols).

Because of its properties and ease of printing, PETG is gaining much popularity in the field of 3D printing.

Carbonfil filling is made of relatively long carbon fibres optimised for 3D printing. Carbon fibre is a synthetic fibre made up of very fine threads composed almost entirely of carbon atoms. These filaments are so fine that several thousand of them need to be brought together to form a single carbon fibre. These carbon fibres are made from polyacrylonitrile.

The carbon fibre reinforcement improves the overall mechanical properties of the base plastic. In the case of Carbonfil, a much more rigid and impact-resistant PETG filament is achieved than a standard PETG. This rigidity of the Carbonfil filament provides excellent structural resistance.

In addition to this, Carbonfil has excellent layer adhesion, inherited from its thermoplastic base (PETG). It is a very easy material to print because of its low melting temperature and because it has practically no warping effect; therefore it can be printed on almost any 3D FDM printer on the market.

Image 1: Texture of the Carbonfil filament. Source: Formfutura.

It has great dimensional stability, making it an extremely durable material even in adverse environments.

As with other loaded filaments (Nylon AF80, Nylon CF15, PETG CF), it is recommended to use a nozzle of at least 0.5 mm outlet diameter to avoid possible clogging.

In addition, carbon fibre can be quite abrasive and produce wear on standard brass nozzles; therefore, it is recommended to use a hardened steel nozzle such as the E3D hardened steel nozzle or the MK8 hardened steel nozzle.

Carbonfil packaging is environmentally friendly. Carbonfil is presented on a recycled cardboard reel, which is easy to recycle and dispose of. This reel in turn is packed in a recycled cardboard box.

Due to its improved properties compared to a standard PETG filament, Carbonfil is a material oriented to the 3D printing of final parts or functional prototypes that require high mechanical efforts. This material is very useful in the industrial sector, being ideal to replace temporary or permanent functional metal parts with medium loads.